Track and Field Opens Season at Annual Home Meet

ROXBURY, Mass. – At the 2nd Annual UMass Boston Indoor Open, UMass Boston saw some top performances from key returners as well as some newcomers at the Reggie Lewis Center Saturday afternoon.

Leading the way for the Beacons was All-American runner Hulerie McGuffie (Lynn, Mass.) who earned a first place finish in the 400 meter dash with her time of 57.87 seconds, which also marked a personal best for the sophomore. Also having a strong debut was seniors Ari Leao (New Bedford, Mass.) in the 800 meter run (2:31.30) and Renee O'Brien (Stoneham, Mass.) in the 400 meter run (1:01.61). Leao posted a second place finish in the 200, while O'Brien took fourth and earned a new personal best in the 400.

O'Brien also posted a 5th place finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.66 behind McGuffie who finished 3rd with her time of 26.39 (personal best).

For the men's team newcomer Shawn Lawson (Westford, Mass.) sprinted his way to a third place finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.56 seconds. Junior Tylor Hart (Newton, Mass.) leaped his way to a height of 6-04.75 feet in the high jump to finish in the top four.

In the women's throwing events newcomer Taylor Smith (Burlington, Mass.) finished in sixth place in the shot put with her toss of 36-08.25 feet. Anitra Kloczewiak (New Bedford, Mass.) grabbed a 12th place finish in the weight throw with her toss of 36-07.75 feet.

In the men's 60 meter dash preliminaries, Kelly Desane (finished in 31st place with a time of 7.45 seconds. Fritz Gustave (Fall River, Mass.) recorded the second fastest time in the 60 for UMass Boston with his time of 7.52 seconds.

Also in action on Saturday was Shawn Lawson (Westford, Mass.) who led the Beacons in the 400 meter dash. The newcomer posted a time of 52.64 seconds to earn 16th place overall. Nobert Simon (Chelsea, Mass.) finished in 20th place with a time of 53.33 seconds. Desane crossed the finish line with the second fastest time in the 200 with his time of 23.78 seconds.

Xavier Romero was the lone competitor in the 60 meter hurdles and finished in eighth place with a time of 9.19 seconds. Quang Le (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam) recorded a jump of 19-04.00 feet to take 18th place in the long jump. Romero posted a 22nd place finish with his jump of 18-10.50 feet. In weight throw Kervens Jean-Phillippe (Milton, Mass.) finished in 21st place with his throw of 28-00.75 feet.

The Beacons return to action on January 4 when they compete in the Roxbury Community College Tiger All-Comers Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center.